The authors give advice to teachers on correctly presenting assignments by discussing these questions: What information should an instructional assignment convey? What criteria should be considered in phrasing an instructional assignment? And what means can be used to clarify an assignment? (Author/SJL)

Discusses the social or interactional dimension that accompanies the academic aspects of schooling. Characterizes the competent student as one who integrates academic content and interactional form in teacher-directed activities. Emphasizes that teachers and students cooperatively contribute to the social organization of the classroom. (Author/BE)

The development of effective teaching through the teacher's assumption of various performance roles is discussed. (LH)

Notes a definite lack of research in the area of communication skills training for teachers. Indicates that existing research shows that there is a special personality for communication trainers, that communication training has positive effects on teachers' behavior, and that there are various models for effective communication training. (FL)

Describes how to analyze children's talk in three categories: factual reporting, interpretive reporting, and reasoning. (DD)

Challenges teachers to explore teacher talk and distinguish messages that unwittingly encourage dependence on authority from those that support the growth of academic autonomy through discovering relationships, developing speed and accuracy in skills, and developing understandings that serve problem solving in projects and activities. (MKR)

Analyzes a discussion among students as they try to find the perimeter and area of an irregular shape on a geoboard. Considers implications for teaching and suggests reflecting on discourse, students' attributes, and mathematical tasks. (DF)

Presents a range of techniques that faculty can use to help prevent the development of negative emotions and conflict in their classes. Recommendations include communicating warmth and sensitivity toward students by remaining enthusiastic and available, establishing a shared course framework by determining course objectives and seeking students'…

Explores how two students participated in classroom talk about written text. Finds students participated in talk in complicated, devolving ways over a school year--one participated in class talk about text with an assumption of expertise, only to lose credibility when his teacher expected richer insights; the other participated with such talk with…

Focuses on three students from mainland China as part of an investigation of Asian students' classroom communication patterns in United States universities to explore the complexities of silence, and the cultural interpretations of silence in various social contexts. Multiple functions of silence in terms of linkage, affecting, revelational,…

Describes the use of conversational partnerships (CP) in high school Spanish classes. CPs seek to improve spoken proficiency by allowing students to rehearse conversational roles, plan strategies, and polish pronunciation. (CB)

Examines elementary and secondary teachers' affinity-seeking strategies, things they do to get students to like them and their subject matter. Finds that personal and subject affinity-seeking efforts differ; teachers are less confident about the latter; and that strategies are drawn from a narrow range of affinity-seeking options. (SR)

Presents an activity in which college chemistry students collaboratively identify chemical substances. (MKR)

This article presents a theoretical consideration of the nature of classroom talk. It argues that traditional methods of instruction do not provide the conditions necessary to encourage pupils to think critically, and that a major reason for this is inappropriate discourse in schools. (JL)

Discusses the need for multicultural dialog as a meaningful exchange of ideas and emotions among stakeholders in a culturally diverse society. Presents strategies for incorporating multicultural dialog in specific science activities. (JRH)